Cylinder liner



April 14, 1953 ZSHEETS-SI-IEETL Filed July 3, 1941 April 14, 19.53 m c. ALWARD CYLINDER LINER Filed July 3, 1941 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 Patented Apr. 14, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CYLINDER LINER Kenneth Cutler Alward, Moweaqua, Ill.

Application July 3, 1941, Serial No. 401,037

6 Claims.

This invention relates to cylinder sleeves and as a principal object aims to provide an improved form of replaceable cylinder, which is more durable and is more easily removed and replaced in renewing same.

It contemplates more especially the provision of a cylinder liner contractible radially and retractible longitudinally and which contacts the cylinder bore cohesively.

In the practice of prior and present art relative to cylinders in internal-combustion and steam engines, air compressors, pumps, pneumatic and hydraulic devices and/or the like, a cylinder surrounded by a cooling construction was machine nished from a molded casting.

One object of the present invention is to provide a novel type of cylinder liner comprising a longitudinal transversal at a bias angle with respect to the axis of the cylinder contributing to its contractibility and contorted retractibility.

Another object is to devise a series of interrupted and alternating slots along a cylinder sleeve in a longitudinal direction, the characteristic resilient compressibility of which said alternating slots provides a liner sleeve less critical in minute circumferential accuracy and thus assuring a tight sleeve being closely pressed in the receiving cylinder.

A still further object is to provide a contractible and/or retractible cylinder liner for the rie barrels of guns with retaining means therefor, and devices for facilitating replacement.

Still a further object is to simplify the process of manufacturing cylinder sleeves by circular bending same deviationally from at sheets oi metal and/r by slanted incision of a cylinder.

Other objects and advantages will be evident in the following description of the illustrated embodiment of the present invention.

Identification of the drawings:

Fig. l is a perspective view of a bias cleaved cylinder sleeve in a diminishingly distorted shape for facilitating insertion into a bore.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a casting bore recipient to a cylinder sleeve as comprising a bias longitudinal transversal and alternating oset slots.

Fig. 3 is an elevational view of a cylinder sleeve incorporating staggered slots distributed in a longitudinal direction.

Fig. 4 is a magnified perspective view of a slot of Figs. 2 and 3 in a fragmented segment of a cylinder.

Fig. 5 is a side elevational view of a rifled firearm barrel with the breech end shown in bisection, showing the cleaved rifle liner and the retaining collar in assembly4l Fig. 6 is a side view of the replaceable liner fori? ried gun barrel, showing the spiral parting c e Fig. 7 is an elevational View of the rifle liner shown in Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is a transverse view of a rib and groove forming die for processing the blank of Fig. 9.

Fig. 9 is an elevational view of a at liner plate before being circumex formed as in Figs. 6 and '7.

Fig. l0 is a plan view in aerial perspective, showing a deectional method of inserting a blank in a roller forming device.

Fig. l1 is a transverse view of the rollers of the mandrel roller circumforming device.

Fig. 12 is a bisectional view of the liner retaining collar.

The structure selected for illustration includes a cylinder sleeve I0 of Fig. l or 9 of Fig. 2 which ts into a cylinder body I I and its flange recesses into annular groove I'I.

The longitudinal transversal I2 projected at a bias angle on sleeve IIJ makes possible the especial ease in removing the Worn sleeve and replacing it with a new one, rather than employing special tools as screw presses to remove conventional sleeves, which will freeze as mechanics skilled in the art call it, thru incrustations or natural adhesions after same is pressed in tightly.

The bias transversal of my invention permits a screwdriver to be placed in groove i1 against flange I4 at the juncture of transversal I2 and the sleeve sprung inwardly toward the axis to free and loosen same. Here the marvel of the bias transversal proves itself. By prying under flange I4 near I2 at the acute angle side of transversal I2 all tightness in the sleeve is removed and same is free to be slightly compressed and easily removed from the cylinder block.

In replacing the new sleeve I0, as the same reposes with a lessened diameter or if made rectilinear as 9, said sleeve may be subjected to a twisting manipulation and started in the top of cylinder II. The feature of the bias transversal I2 again demonstrates the advantage thereof; for by pressing downward on the obtuse angle side of ange I4, relief reduction in circumference will result allowing complete sleeve I0 to be easily pushed to the bottom of the cylinder. Upon approaching the last stage of insertion into the cylinder bore, the compressibility of the interrupted and alternate construction of I3 will allow the sleeve 9 to be adjusted to any discrepancies and to assume a tightly fitting joint I2 upon completing final insertion.

Fig. 3 illustrates clearly the situation created by the provision of slots as a type of alternating voids I3 along the sleeve body. Such oiset vacancies therein allow the circumference of the sleeve 8 to resiliently contract slightly upon insertion thereof as does I3 of Fig. 2. Said sleeve being in a compressed condition upon installation within a continuous bore will exert a constant circumferential stress to closely contact said cylinder bore.

The. transversal .l2 .affords especial tightness and snugness of said sleeve relative to the bore II thereby enhancing the heat-transfer cooling qualities thereof, sealing the former gap, and perfecting regularity of the internal surface. -Accumulatory advancement along; adjacentfedges of said l2, or as may be described as approachment of previously displaced angles opposite' the transversal, brings into reality the powerful wedge action, most desirable in a thin liner to accomplish close union and security with a separate bore receivable of a Wearing surface member,

Vwhich maybe a bushing or the like of some type.

In the manufacturing process the sleeve ID is curved by a roller circumex bending device from sheets Vof steel, brass or suitable material of chosen thickness, for example' No. 16 gauge, ,after being rst sheared into pieces shaped like a rhomboid. The sleeves may then be' hardened ortempered and edges nished to-final `dimensional accuracy. If so desired, the sleeves I- may be vcast of iron, steel or bronze; andthen be finished bythe usual cutting and grinding process, and the longitudinal transversal provided therein.

When a tubeisuseithe sleeve maybe split with any proper machine or tool. 1t may then be twisted or sprung by a forced approachment of the respective opposite angles. The rolling process, Fig s. 10, l1, characterizes formngover a core, the roller 31 thereof being enveloped by the blank whereas the work plate 22 for example is wound over the included roller. This method results in the production of a cylinder the surface of whichis symmetricallytrue, as 31 constitutes a mold basemandrel and the rollers can squeeze a work piece, such as a sleeve, to precise curvature.

In the air corps, naval, military, and anti-aircraft services the fire power of the rines has been enormously hampered by the Wearing out of the spiral riing of thecgun barrel, Which disposes the projectile to rotate in spiral convolutions thruout the path. of its trajectory. The-service of worn guns must be lost and a hazardous, timeconsuming return tothe arsenal is required. As a classical example during World War I the two Big Berthas, shooting a distance of seventy miles (reportedly) were enabled to nre .only eleven times total before. their rifling was demolished.

.This invention providesa rifle linerreadily replaceable in postionsnear .to its point of service.

Now referring specically to Fig. 5, the outer barrel 21 comprises a straight bore 26 in which is installed a smooth boreVV sleeve 29 comprising an angular interrupting incision l2, whereas said sleeve 29 receives the shellV casing, and the hinder portion of the projectile.

In abutment with-the said sleeve 29 is inserted the rifled liner 25, which is best illustrated by Fig. 6. Said liner comprises a parting cleft 23, which is parallel with the spiral ridges and grooves 0f the rins. Dueto the statically distorted novstion 0f the linerl ofFie..6, its externall diameter isslightly reduced in comparison-to its anatural operating position. as in Fig. 6. The-angularity of the .parting cleft 328 eiectuatesysuch aforesaid reduction in diameter, and .this dia- -v-of the liner 25-at the collar shoulder 34. The prorifling of 22- cession of the collar 33=springs the liner 25 to a straight and normal position, as illustrated in `Fig. 5.

Ihe procession of the collar 33, just described, 'will cause the liner 25 to increase in diameter,

also .due .to theangularity of the parting cleft 28;

and the long pitch angle of said 28 results in a 'powerful -wedge to snugly tighten the liner 25 within the barrel 21.

A ange 23 on the muzzle extremity of liner 25 .is in thrust vcontact Jwith the shoulder 34 of collar 33, allowing the use of a thinner liner than otherwise without-said iiange. -It (said fiange), being an integral enlargement of the liner (as in I4 of Fig.` l) and given an-extra depth more than anormal turned flange, will absorb the end thrust of thel liner; as well asthe torque of the collar 33 'during installation. -It is the flange feature which especially crowns this rifle liner arrangement with success.

"Uponthe vremoval ofthe 4Worn liner, when the collar 'S3 is unscrewed,-the liner 25 will spring baci-1v into its smallerdistorted position of Fig. 6 sufficiently-for removal, and Va new liner may be inserted on battleship deck, orn rear land positions,` thereby correcting a critical situation under such conditions.

0fA course, the smoothY bore-sleeve 29 could be made integral with the liner 25 and yet maintain consistency of invention.

.The respective concave and convex edges of the dividing cleft 428 -are-shown in Figs. '7 and l1. Thusiseformed an interlocking joint, securing it against any movement due to the prying eifect of the projectile driving jband against the sloping edges of the riding ridges. V-shaped edges would substitute therefor.

Various other types'of edges have been used in interrupted annular devices heretofore, but

none have beenboth easyto form and yet eiective in providing a secure interlocking nterste as are these. Concave and convex edges are, therefore, a class by themselves in regard to novelty and utility.

AThe replaceable liner 25 is manufactured from rhomboidal sheets of selected steel. Into the formof Fig. 9 (22) it is ridged and grooved, while hot, by the roller die 36 of Fig. 8, which is mounted in a rolling machine. 'Ihe die 35 comprises ribs and grooves which transversely conform to the After being trimmed to dimensions, 422 is circumiiex formed bya'forming core threeroller circumiiex machine. aS per Fg- 11 into liner .2 5, Fig. 6. Finishbroaching of the riding may then be done, if desired.

The distorted position ,ofthe liner 25 of Fig. 6 is accomplished in the circumex rolling process as illnstratedin 10. For. example. if the rhomboidal strip 22 isinserted inthe machine with the nearer end edge perpendicular-to the formingrollers. anundistortedlmer will result, as in Figr. .Otherwisedf the line of the end edge of 22 is deected from the rectilinear, the distorted shape-of the cut cylinder rifle-liner 25 of Fig. 6 willinure. The.rhmbcidal angle already being known (which controls the reduction in diameter per linear inch gfrditortion). the required amount of distortion is readily determined when the desirable shrinkage is decided upon from the basis of standard tolerances for clearances.

The angle of deviation of the rhomboid from the rectangular is arrived at from the calculation of the helix angle of the rifling-the tangent of which angle is the circumference of the liner cylinder divided by the linear distance or lead of the riing, in which length of oarrel said riing spirally convolutes one complete turn.

The result of this liner replacement will be to reestablish original space relationship between cooperating elements-the riiie bore and the projectile, which principle of maintenance is the consistent result of this invention.

It should be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the specific embodiments thereof herein described and illustrated, but may include various modications and changes of structure coming within ihe spirit or scope thereof as defined by the appended claims.

I claim, therefore as my invention:

1. Incorporated in a cylinder sleeve arrangement a unitary closed stationary cylinder sleeve, disconformingly contractible radially and distortionally rectractable longitudinally, reposing tightly in a circular bore with a stressed nt accruing from a self-constituted longitudinal wedging actuation and having a flange projecting from an extremity thereof.

2. Incorporated in a cylinder sleeve arrangement a tightly wedged cylinder sleeve liner distortionally contractible circumferentially and disconformingly elastically retractable longitudinally comprising a closed single longitudinal parting interrupting incision inclined at a bias angle in respect to the axis of the cylinder, thus facilitating replacement of said sleeve, the result of which is restorative of the original and correct space relationship between said sleeve and moving elements cooperating therewith.

3. Incorporated in a cylinder sleeve arrangement a cylinder sleeve, a bias angular longitudinal incision with respective concave and convex edges thereon, a series of interrupted slots, in a relative position along a plurality of lines approximately parallel to the longitudinal incision of the cylinder sleeve, with slots alternating in respect to slots inserted along adjacent lines, for the purpose of assuring contiguous contact of relative articular edges of the cylinder sleeve liner, by virtue of the inherent elastic compressibility of such construction.

4. Incorporated in a cylinder sleeve arrangement an uncleaved outer rifle barrel having in combination therewith a liner therefor which disposes the projectile cooperating therewith to progress and rotate in a clockwise direction and comprising an incision substantially parallel to the riing therein and being distortable longitudinally thus slightly reducing its diameter for convenient insertion into aforesaid outer barrel without the necessity cf heat-expanding same and Without conventionally shrinking a riiied liner into an outer barrel, and comprising interlocking edge faces, and comprising a projecting flanged anchoring extremity, contributory to a riiie liner being especially thin and therefore more easily manufactured, conveniently transported, and more readily inserted into a rifle.

5. Incorporated in a cylinder sleeve arrangement a cylinder sleeve comprising a closed longitudinal incision in bias angular relativity to the axis of the cylinder thereof, which said cylinder sleeve is elastically distortable thus eleeting a diminution of its perimeter as a consequence for the purpose of facilitating insertion into a cylinder bore, and said cylinder sleeve being contradistortable thus completely reclaiming the full circumference of the bore whence it is inserted and being provided with alternate interrupted slots and thus affording a resilient compressible construction, thereby accomplishing a tightly wedged interrupted cylinder liner for receiving a moving element in cooperation therewith.

6. Incorporated in a cylinder sleeve arrangement in an uninterrupted rifle cylinder barrel combination with a conveniently insertable and removable liner therefor which is capable of exerting a Wedging action upon being thrust by the procession of a retaining member abutting the muzzle end of said liner and variably engaging the muzzle end of said rie barrel thereby singularily retaining said liner rigidly within said barrel.

KENNETH CUTLER. ALWARD.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Great Britain Sept. 7, 1933 Number Number 

